Step 2: Inquiry-based Lesson Design in Science

1. Title of Lesson: Earths Atmosphere 2. UFTeach students Names: Brett Walker and Nicole Steele 3. Teaching Date and Time: Monday April 9, 1:45-2:40 4. Length of Lesson: 55 minutes 5. Grade / Topic: 6th grade Earth Science 6. Source of the Lesson: Google.com, Worksheet and Exploration idea from Mrs. Hayden, Video from Disney (Bill Nye) Appropriateness for Middle School Students: This lesson is appropriate for middle school students because it breaks down the different layers of the atmosphere in detail. The students must understand the differences between the layers, identify the separate layers, and understand how CO2 affects our planet and the life that lives on it.

7. Concepts
Earths atmosphere is comprised of several different layers of gases. These layers include the troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere. The atmosphere is made up of oxygen, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and a small amount of argon. A specific layer within the stratosphere is called the ozone layer. This is a very important layer that is extremely important in preserving life. This layer protects Earth from the Suns harmful ultraviolet radiation. Without this, our planet would receive excess radiation, which could cause crops to fail, increase in skin cancer among species, and global increase in temperature. In the troposphere there is a relationship between the amount of CO2 and other greenhouse gases and Earths surface temperature; as CO2 levels increase, so does the temperature on Earths surface. Human behavior has influenced the amount of Carbon Dioxide in our troposphere and thus, how warm our planet becomes. A final concept students will be learning with this lesson is the difference between a scientific model and a scientific experiment. They will be able to understand that a model is a more conveniently scaled representation of what they are studying, and a scientific experiment involves changing, manipulating, and testing different variables in order to come to a conclusion which will either support or not support a hypothesis that was previously made. Source: http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr161/lect/earth/atmosphere.html

8. Florida State Standards:

S.C.6.E.7.9 Describe how the composition and structure of the atmosphere protects life and insulates the planet. Cognitive Complexity: Moderate SC.6.N.3.4 Identify the role of models in the context of the sixth grade science benchmarks. Cognitive Complexity: Moderate

Step 2: Inquiry-based Lesson Design in Science

9.

Performance Objectives
Students will be able to explain ways in which the atmosphere helps life Students will be able to identify the atmospheres layers Students will be able to identify why models are important in science

10.

Materials List and Student Handouts

23 copies of the worksheet and post-assessment PowerPoint Student nametags Engagement Video Temperature probes Water bottle with rocks and water Paraffin/plastic wrap 6 Clamp lights 7 Alka-Seltzer tablets

11.

Advance Preparations
Teacher should set up PowerPoint and distribute nametags Teacher should set up the engagement video and exploration beforehand Materials will be distributed to every group Teacher will set up experiment early before class arrives

12.

Safety
Students should not put anything in their mouths or touch the light bulbs in the clamp lights

13.

5E Lesson Templates

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ENGAGEMENT What the Teacher Will Do -Teacher will introduce the concept of Earths atmosphere -Teacher will show the video to the students -Teacher will ask students questions about the video, atmosphere, and the scientific method Teacher Instructions and Probing Questions -Today we are going to be learning about the atmosphere -Make observations about the atmosphere as you watch this video http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=gGNxYtT_36I -What is the atmosphere?

Time: 10 minutes Student Responses and Potential Misconceptions

-[Earths atmosphere is a layer of gas that is held in place by gravity all around the Earth] -We couldnt breathe and may get more sunburns [We wouldnt be as protected from the Suns radiation and we would be missing essential gases] -Gases [Carbon dioxide, nitrogen and oxygen] -[Gas] -Air [Oxygen] -[Carbon Dioxide] -[So to speak, trees breathe Carbon Dioxide and exhale Oxygen] -Trees couldnt breathe and would not produce oxygen, which we need -The trees would grow more [It would be too warm]

-What would happen if we didnt have an atmosphere?

-What makes up the atmosphere? -Is there gas or liquids in the atmosphere? -What do we breathe? -What do we exhale? -What do the trees breathe? -Since the trees breathe CO2 what do you think would happen if we did not have it? -What would happen if there were too much CO2? -If we wanted to do an experiment on the effect of gases in the atmosphere we would have to write a hypothesis -What is a hypothesis? -What is an independent

-[A specific and testable prediction] -[A variable that is independent

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variable? -What is a dependent variable? -Teacher will transition into exploration and experiment -We are now going to explore the atmosphere in more depth by conducting an experiment. We are going to find out how CO2 in the atmosphere impacts the temperature of Earth

and does not depend upon another variable] -[The factor that changes based upon the independent variable]

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EXPLORATION What the Teacher Will Do -Teacher will introduce the Alka-Seltzer experiment Teacher Instructions Probing/Eliciting Questions -Today we are going to be exploring Earths atmosphere and how it protects life on our planet -In order to show this we are going to conduct a small experiment in class today! - Is there a relationship between the CO2 concentration of the air and the temperature of Earths atmosphere? Thats what we are going to explore today -What do the rocks represent? -What does the water represent? -Do they affect the temperature? -You will work with your groups for this experiment. Your group members are those who are sitting at your table Instructions: 1. Dont touch any of the materials until directed to do so 2. The water bottles in front of you have already been filled with the amount of required water. There is already the right amount of rocks in the bottles as well 3. In order to form your hypothesis write down your prediction whether the temperature will be higher or lower after the Alka-Seltzer has been

Time: 20 minutes Student Responses and Misconceptions

-Teacher will go through the worksheet before handing it to students (use the PowerPoint slides)

-Im not sure [We are going to find out today in our experiment]

-[Earths soil/rocks/surface] -[Earths bodies of water] -[They can]

-Teacher will explain what students need to do in order to form their own hypotheses -Teacher will go over step-bystep instructions with the aid of the PowerPoint -The students are already grouped together in the classroom. They will work with these groups -Teacher will number the stations. The first station will be closest to the door and numbering will continue counter-clockwise around the room

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-Teacher will stop and check for student understanding

-Teacher will demonstrate this step before the students start this step

-Teacher will check for student understanding

added to the water bottle. Here is an example of how you can write your hypothesis: If I add more CO2 to the bottle then the temperature will _______ 4. Place your unsealed water bottle under the clamp light for three minutes. Place the temperature probe in the water bottle. Make sure to hold (the probe in the airnot in the water or rocks. Keep the probe in the air and watch the temperature. Record the temperature in Celsius only once its been stable for five seconds. If it does not become stable then record the temperature it is at after one minute. 5. Record the temperature on your worksheet under No CO2 6. Next, remove the temperature probe from the water bottle and add one whole tablet of AlkaSeltzer. IMMEDIATELY after dropping in the tablet cover the open water bottle with the paraffin. I will now demonstrate this before you do it. 7. After the tablet has completely dissolved stick the probe into the bottle through the paraffin. 8. Watch the temperature and record it once it has reached a stable temperature for at least 5 seconds. 9. Record this number under CO2 on your

-[Fizzing]

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worksheet 10. Use the data you collected as evidence to support or reject your hypothesis. -Make sure to work with your groups and carefully follow the instructions. -We will walk around the classroom and help everyone -What is the Alka-Seltzer doing? -Why do you think it is fizzing? -Is the temperature rising or lowering because of the Alka-Seltzer? -Teacher will go around the classroom and help students -What does the AlkaSeltzer tablet represent? -Why did we have a trial without the Alka-Seltzer tablet?

-[It has come in contact with the water] -[Rising]

-[Carbon Dioxide]

-[Bubbling]

-[It is coming in contact with the water] -[It is rising]

-[Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere] -[It represents the atmosphere without Carbon Dioxide]

-Teacher will check for understanding by asking the students questions during the experiment -Teacher will instruct students to clean up their stations -Teacher will transition into the explanation

-We are going to clean up our experiment before we move on -Now that we have finished the experiment and cleaned we are going to go over it as a class

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EXPLANATION What the Teacher Will Do -The teacher will dive into the explanation by discussing the experiment with the class Teacher Instructions Probing/Eliciting Questions -What was the dependent variable in our experiment? -What was the independent variable in our experiment? -What was your conclusion? -Part of conducting a scientific experiment is accepting the fact that your hypothesis might not be supported by the data you collect. Was yours? Why? -Were you surprised by your results? -Is CO2 found throughout all the layers of the atmosphere -What other gases make up the atmosphere? -What are the different layers of the atmosphere? -What are the closest layers to us? -What is the ozone layer?

Time: 10 minutes Student Responses and Misconceptions -Temperature

-The Alka-Seltzer tablet (The CO2) -The conclusion is higher CO2 increases the temperature in the atmosphere -Yes/No, my hypothesis was (not) supported

-Teacher will discuss layers of atmosphere (by using the PowerPoint)

-Yes -[Nitrogen, Argon, Oxygen] -[Troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere and thermosphere]

-Teacher will differentiate the different layers of the atmosphere, especially the troposphere and stratosphere

-[Troposphere and stratosphere] -[It is a layer in the atmosphere made of ozone, which absorbs most of the Suns ultraviolet radiation] -[It protects us from the Suns UV rays] -[We would receive a very harmful amount of ultraviolet radiation from the Sun] [It is both]

-How does it help us? -What would happen to the Earth if there were not an ozone layer? -Teacher will discuss the roles of models -Did we just conduct an experiment or did we use a model? -How do you know?

-[It represents the atmosphere and shows us how it works so it is a model. We also manipulated

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-Recall the last time we were here that we brought in a model. What was the model and what did it represent? -Did we do an experiment then? -Did we do an experiment this time? -What does the water bottle represent? -What does a model tell us?

it so we made it an experiment too]

-It was a laundry basket and represented Earths different rock layers -No -Yes - Earth surface with the atmosphere right above it. -[It is a representation that helps us understand how the real object or event works]

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ELABORATION What the Teacher Will Do -Teacher will pull up interactive activity on website http://phet.colorado.edu/en/sim ulation/greenhouse -Teacher will ask students questions about the activity Teacher Instructions Probing/Eliciting Questions -Lets take a look at greenhouse gases in more detail now -What is a greenhouse gas? -How do they help us? -How can they harm us? -What changes the temperature in the activity? -What happens when you add the clouds?

Time: 10 minutes Student Responses and Misconceptions

EVALUATION What the Teacher Will Do -Teacher will pass out assessment to students Formative Questions 1. How does Carbon Dioxide (CO2) affect the temperature on Earths surface?

Time: 5 minutes Correct Responses 1. A high Carbon Dioxide concentration in the atmosphere increases the Earths surface temperature. Little CO2 concentrate makes Earths surface cooler 2. In itself it is a model because it represents the Earths surface and bodies of water and how CO2 affects temperature. It isnt an experiment until we begin modifying and testing certain variables.

2. The bottle with rocks, water, and air in itself represents a scientific (model/ experiment). Explain your answer.

Post-Assessment

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Name: __________________________________________ Date: ___________________________________________ 1. How does Carbon Dioxide (CO2) affect the temperature on Earths surface?

2. Does the bottle with rocks, water, and air in itself represent a scientific model or experiment? Explain your answer.

Exploration

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Name: ______________________________________________ Topic: The Role of Carbon Dioxide in the Atmosphere Problem: Is there a relationship between the CO2 concentration of the air and the temperature of Earths atmosphere? Hypothesis:

Materials: Temperature probes, rocks, water bottles, paraffin/plastic wrap, clamp lights, Alka-Seltzer tablet, and water DATA TABLE No CO2 CO2 Temperature Before C ( C ( F) F) Temperature After C ( C ( F) F)

Dependent Variable: ___________________________________________

Independent Variable: __________________________________________ Conclusion: Use the data you collected as evidence to write a sentence that states if your data was supported or was not supported your hypothesis.

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